Many elderly people are drinking alcohol at "unsafe" levels, researchers claimed today.
A study in London, UK, has found that 20% of over 65s are passing recommended limits for drinking.
The researchers say that levels of unsafe drinking are highest among men in their late 60s.
The findings come from an analysis of GP records for nearly 28,000 people in Lambeth conducted at the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience at King’s College, London.
Some 1,980 were found to be drinking at high levels.
Although 46% of those in the analysis were men, 65% of the "unsafe" drinkers were men.
The study, reported in BMJ Open found a significant minority of people drinking at very high levels. Of the 9,248 people who drank alcohol, some 5% of the men drank more than 49 units weekly and 5% of women drank more than 23 units weekly.
Researcher Dr Mark Ashworth, a GP, said: "This research highlights that as GPs we need be more aware of the risk of older people, especially men, drinking excessively. Reducing alcohol misuse is important to prevent premature death and serious negative health effects, such as alcoholic liver disease, which are big burden on our health system.
"Alcohol excess carries additional risks in the older population such as falls and confusion."
BMJ Open 24 August 2015
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